Swords are the element of Air, and the direction East. They represent pure mind, thinking, speaking. Best known for representing problems and troubles especially those relating to communications or bad press, but really about anything to do with either words and/or thoughts. Brilliant thoughts as well as nightmares; sharp ideas or a sharp tongue. This is the card of scientists and analysts of thinking things though or thinking/saying too much. Ideas breeze into your mind, words are given breath, written letters and messages fly on the wind.

Ace of Swords
The mind awakening for new challenges. This usually indicates that the person's mind is feeling sharper, clearer. They want to talk, discuss, or write. The breeze stirs through the trees and the fledgling thinks of trying out its newly feathered wings. The sword is lifted, and it's time to test its edge.

Luke receiving his father's lightsaber is the Ace. Just by talking with Obi-Wan, he is cutting through his uncle's lies about his father's past, even while Obi-Wan isn't entirely truthful. Luke is ready to learn about part of himself he never knew existed, his connection to the Force, and engage in a new world of learning.

I went and fixed all the broken image links, so I suppose I should continue.

Two of SwordsCrossed swords suggest a clash of ideas or words. The blindfolded lady, indicating impartiality, cannot uncross the swords, but she keeps them still. This is the knowledge of how to compromise, keep these two sides in balance and at peace. But this is temporary; it won't last.

Luke with the blast shield down is in the process of learning about the Force, even as he is leaving behind the life he knew. Han Solo’s snarky comments aren’t helping, but Luke must find a way through while remembering that his eyes can deceive him if he over-intellectualizes things.

Three of SwordsWhat sharp words or cutting ideas have created here, not surprisingly, is pain and heartbreak. Hurtful words, ideas or thoughts are exchanged or explored.

Luke’s vision in the Dagobah cave is the Three of Swords. He has distressing information, but is unsure what to do with it, or what it even means. It will be a little while before it plays out, and he must remember that

Four of SwordsA young man rests on a pallet, three swords above, one under him. This is the "meditation" card. The card advises retreat, rest, and recuperation after mental or emotional stress, arguments, misunderstandings or verbal abuse, an illness or injury. A healing retreat is needed, time to clear the head, heart and soul, or just fix a damaged body.

Darth Vader in his meditation chamber fits well here. He is in constant need of rest, as his body and souls are permanently damaged. Here is the only place he can safely remove part of his helmet, where he can get away from the demands of the Empire, at least for a little while.

Five of SwordsIn arguments and battles of ideas there are going to be times when one just loses or has to surrender. The worst of these is when the winner is an awful person, a bully, braggart, a cheat, someone who used an unfair advantage to win. But it happens.

Lando leads his friends to the "betrayal dinner" where Vader and Boba Fett are waiting. There’s nothing to be done; Lando couldn’t do anything, and now neither can Han and Leia. Now they are just another set of pawns as Vader baits Luke with them.

Six of SwordsA boat of swords being ferried across a river with a woman as passenger. Travels are implied here, as are solutions to intellectual problems, perhaps simply by leaving them behind.

Padmé, traveling to Mustafar after Anakin, is trying to solve the problem that is her husband. She will try reason, of course, then desperate emotion, but in her case there is nothing for her to do but leave. Unfortunately for her, she can’t seem to leave him behind in a healthy way.

This is the "Thief" card, the "Dishonor" card. The situation either calls for desperate action, or desperate action has already been taken. Being confrontational will only make things worse.

Anakin has has just dispatched the Emperors lackeys on Mustafar. He has already helped kill Mace Windu, has given himself over to Darth Sidious, and has slaughtered the Jedi in the Temple, including the Younglings. His desperation has caused his dishonour, though few have yet discovered it. He feels the guilt, but he’s gone down a path he feels there is no retreat from. The rest of his life will be one conflict after another, one dishonour after another.

This is the "poodooed if you do, poodooed if you don't" card. However, the ropes that bind, the blindfold over the eyes, are the fears that keep us still, immobile, but speaking up is going to get us cut to ribbons. Movement must happen, though, for the longer the situation continues, the worse it will get.

Poor Piett. First a captain, then an admiral, Piett has seen his superiors dispatched by Vader as he has been promoted. This guy’s internal dialogue has got to consist of "please don’t choke me, please don’t choke me." The instant he displeases Vader, he knows he’ll be next, but there's nothing he can do about it. Even getting a peek at Vader's bald, scarred head could be a capital offense, and he knows it.

A man wakes from a nightmare, nine swords on the wall. It can be a good thing to find what you seek, except when it comes to ideas, words or problems. Find too many of them and they will overwhelm you. This is the card where we wake up at night and go over our troubles, problems, worries, thoughts, what we said, what others said. But most often these things are being blown out of proportion.

Anakin's dream of Padmé's death, likewise, was being blown out of proportion. If he had trusted in her and in himself, it would never have come to pass. Instead he turned to Darth Sidious, selling his soul in an attempt to save her that ended up killing her.

A dead man with ten swords in his back; this is usually the most frightening card in the deck. Sometimes a sacrifice is involved, but almost certainly mental anguish. Sometimes everything just... goes... wrong, and this is the card that tells us that. The upside is that things can't get any worse.

Luke finds out Vader is his father. This is the most horrific possibility come to pass. Luke has lost his hand, is separated from his friends, and everything has just gone straight down the tubes. But somehow, instead of joining Vader, Luke finds the mental clarity to fall from the gantry, even though it may mean his death. Things can’t get any worse after this revelation, even if he dies.